ECUMENICAL SERVICE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31153, 1 September 1966, Page 20

ECUMENICAL SERVICE

Young People Invited “Breaking down Barriers” will be the theme of an ecumenical youth service, organised by the Christchurch Central District Churches’ Youth Committee, in Christchurch Cathedral at 7 p.m. on September 11. The chairman of the committee (Mr R. J. Maddren) said yesterday that about 1200 people are expected to attend the service after the Anglican Evensong. The preacher will be the Rev. W. Schrader, chaplain of St. Andrew’s College. The lessons will be read by an Anglican and a Roman Catholic; a Methodist will read the prayers. A coffee hour with folk-singing will follow the service. “The aim of this service is to help young people to have a better understanding of the services of churches other than their own,” said Mr Maddren. “We later hope to be able to hold similar services in churches of other denominations.” Members of the committee, which was formed after an ecumenical youth council in Hamilton last January, belong to churches which include Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Anglican, Church of Christ, Congregational, the Salvation Army, and the Society of Friends. This will be the third activity the committee has arranged this year. At the first, which took the form of a youth camp, the churches' mission in the city was discussed. This was led by the assistant general-secretary of the National Council of Churches (the Rev. R. M. O’Grady) and was held during the May holidays. About 400 people attended an educational evening, held in the Durham street Methodist Church Hall last April. The C.0.R.5.0. Operation 21 project was discussed. Mr Maddren said the committee hoped to hold a Christmas cabaret in November.